Two Ohio state representatives have introduced legislation that mirrors the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act and also prohibits teaching inspired by Critical Race Theory.
On Monday, state Republican Party representatives Mike Loychik and Jean Schmidt presented their position House Bill 616that would prohibit public teachers teaching grades kindergarten through third grade from teaching, using, or providing any instruction or materials about sexual orientation or gender identity.
Fourth through 12th grade teachers will not be allowed to teach age-inappropriate content under Ohio’s “state standards.”
This comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill last week that would ban teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in grades preschool through third grade and would limit age-inappropriate discussions about sexuality in other classrooms.
Dubbed the “Don’t Tell the Gays” bill by critics even though there is no mention of a ban on the word, Florida’s legislation also allows parents access to their children’s educational and health records and requires schools to inform parents about changes in their child’s mental health. , physical or emotional well-being. The bill exempts schools from disclosing information to parents if a “reasonably prudent person” would fear that doing so would result in abuse, abandonment or neglect.
Ohio’s bill would also ban the teaching of “divisive concepts,” including critical race theory, intersectionality theory, the 1619 Project and “inherited racial guilt.”
“Any other concepts that the State Board of Education defines as divisive or inherently racist” would also be prohibited under the legislation.
The bill adopts language used in recently signed legislation in South Dakota.
The South Dakota bill, signed last month by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, prohibits public colleges and universities in the state from providing training or orientations inspired by Critical Race Theory, such as teaching students that a person is inherently superior or inferior, or should be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity or nationality.
“No student or educator should be forced to endorse Critical Race Theory in order to attend, graduate from, or teach at our public universities,” Noem said in a statement after signing the bill. “The university should remain a place where freedom of thought and expression is supported, not suppressed by political agendas.”
